gallbladder

noun

gall·​blad·​der ˈgȯl-ˌbla-dər 

plural gallbladders

: a membranous muscular sac in which bile from the liver is concentrated and stored before being passed to the intestinal duodenum

After a meal, the gallbladder contracts and injects several tablespoons of bile into the small intestines, where the detergent-like bile salts break up fats.

—David Schardt

For reasons not yet entirely clear, many people, women more often than men, are predisposed to forming stones in their gallbladder.

—Sherwin B. Nuland

Examples of gallbladder in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The list of ailments shown to have been relieved by therapeutic fasting is long: rheumatism, arthritis, arteriosclerosis, angina, asthma, hypertension, skin diseases, kidney and gallbladder infections, periodontitis, glaucoma and migraines. —Bill Prince, theweek, 7 Nov. 2024

Other potential indications for a cholecystectomy include gallbladder cancer, a dysfunctional gallbladder, or gallbladder polyps (abnormal tissue growths). —Qin Rao, Verywell Health, 16 Oct. 2024

These include arteries, bile ducts, and the gallbladder, an organ that stores and releases bile produced by the liver.3 What Does a Hepatologist Do? —Kelly Burch Published, Verywell Health, 2 Oct. 2024

Several underlying health conditions that affect your liver, bile ducts, and gallbladder can reduce the amount of bilirubin (a substance that produces a yellow-green pigment) and lead to pale poop. —Joy Emeh, Health, 2 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

gall entry 1 + bladder

First Known Use

1585, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

gallbladder

noun

gall·​blad·​der ˈgȯl-ˌblad-ər 

: a muscular sac in which bile from the liver is stored

Medical Definition

gallbladder

noun

gall·​blad·​der ˈgȯl-ˌblad-ər 

: a membranous muscular sac in which bile from the liver is concentrated and stored before being passed to the duodenum

Gallstones are made of cholesterol, a normal component of the bile stored in the gallbladder.

—D. Shiga, Science News

Removal of the gallbladder—a pear-shaped sac in the right side of your abdomen—has little adverse effect on digestion. After surgery, bile flows directly from your liver to your small intestine rather than being stored first in your gallbladder.

—Mayo Clinic Health Letter